Review: Pedalling Backwards

◆ Pedalling Backwards by Julia Russell

◆ Read July 2013

◆ English Edition

◆ ⋆⋆⋆

❝ On
a bleak, muddy island in the Blackwater Estuary, Lizzie struggles to
come to terms with the loss of her unborn child and the death of her
sister. Trapped in a damp cottage with her ineffectual but well-meaning
husband, and her aloof parents, the things that are said and left unsaid
on this strained family holiday threaten the complex ties between
mothers and fathers and their daughters.❞

I
wasn't really sure how many stars to give this book, partly because I
hated the first 30 pages or so. However, I decided to give it three
stars because I thought the story beautiful in the end.

This
book isn't one with an intricate plot, tension, nor does much happen.
Instead you are given an insight into the life of a woman who has lost
her sister, miscarriaged and whose marriage is falling apart. While on
vacation, she tries to deal with her loss and the bitter taste it has
left. The author has managed to make the suffering seem so realistic
that you can almost feel it. Furthermore, main character Lizzie and the
other minor characters are so realistically portrayed that you can't
help but sympathize with them.

What
had me struggling through the first chapters was Russell's overuse of
the comma in sentences that take up several lines, even where it does
not make sense: (...) he explained carefully, enjoying himself, she smiled sweetly at him. You'll
find of lot of comma riddled sentences in the book, and such a writing
style isn't everyone's cup of tea. In addition, especially the beginning
of the book contains some grammar mistakes that make the reading much
harder. On multiple occassions did I re-read a sentence three times in
order to make sense of what was meant.

However, this is a beautiful yet sad story that will touch you regardless of writing style or errors. I'd say it's worth a read!

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